Page 10 of Her Royal Cowboy Billionaire

“It’s quite warm out. She probably won’t need a sweater.”

“We can leave it in the car, but I like to be prepared. It gets cold at night in Montana in June.” Michele grabbed her dress shawl from the closet in the living room. It was black and had been knitted with large needles and yarn with a silver strand running through it, so the shawl shimmered.

Erin returned, and Michele took the sweater from her. “Thank you.”

“As you wish.” Alex held out his arms, one to Michele and one to Erin.

Michele grinned. “I wish I had a bigger doorway.” She waved him and Erin through the door and then stepped outside, turned and locked it. Once they got off the porch, she took his arm for the walk out to the truck.

“Does Erin need a booster seat?”

“No, she’s six and above the weight minimum, but thank you for asking.”

“Of course.”

When they all were buckled in, he took off down the driveway. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the restaurant.

Alex parked and then hopped out to help his passengers from the tall vehicle.

“Now, if I’d been wearing pants like I usually do, I could just slide from the seat.”

Alex cocked one brow. “Ah, but I would have missed all that delectable leg you have showing.”

She blushed. “Thank you for the compliment.”

“I was simply stating a fact. You have great legs.” He lifted a brow. “Must be all that riding you do.”

She laughed. “Yeah, that must be it.”

Alex walked on the outside of the sidewalk to the restaurant and then held the door open.

Inside, he strode to the hostess stand. “Alex Fedorov, with reservations for three.”

“Oh, yes, Your Highness,” said the young woman at the stand. “We have your table ready. Follow me, please.”

Alex cringed when the hostess called him Your Highness.Did Michele hear? What does she think? Should I have told her right away?

When they got to the table and the hostess had left, Michele whispered, “Your Highness?”

Alex helped Erin into a chair and then Michele. He kept his voice low. “I was going to tell you who I am tonight. My name is Alex Fedorov here in the United States, but in Batrovia, I am Crown Prince Alexander.”

Michele’s eyebrows lifted and her mouth turned down as her lips pursed. “Should we be bowing or curtsying to you? When were you going to tell me? After I heard the gossip? This is still a small town.”

He heard the sarcasm dripping from every word.That is the change in perception I was trying to avoid.“Now, you are being ridiculous. Of course, you do not bow to me. I’m Alex. That’s all, just Alex.”

“Mommy, why are you mad at Alex?” Erin asked with tears in her eyes.

Alex felt like a jerk.I should have told them on the way here.

She reached over and smoothed Erin’s hair. “Oh, sweetie. I’m not really mad at Alex. I’m just surprised. Don’t you worry about a thing.”

“Is Alex still our friend?”

Alex stared at Michele, worried about the answer.

Michele looked at Alex and cocked a brow. “Yes, darling, Alex is still our friend.”

“Good. I was worried.”